1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a photographic camera for exposing an image on 35 mm film and, more particularly, to 35 mm film and a camera that has an increased scene area on that film.
2. Description of the Background
A photographic film now widely used is 35 mm wide, and the photo-sensitive materials for forming such a photographic film and so on are standardized in Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) and International Organization of Standards (ISO). In such standardized size the width between the upper and lower (outer) edges of the photographic film is 35 mm, and a plurality of rectangular perforations are aligned along both edges of the photographic film. The plurality of perforations are used to transport the photographic film as it is exposed and they may also be used during the development and printing processes. The length of a perforation in the widthwise direction of the photographic film is 2.79 mm and the length in the lengthwise direction of the photographic film is 1.98 mm. The distance (inside measurement) between the perforation and the edge of the photographic film is 2.01 mm and the distance (inside measurement) between the opposing perforations at both sides of the film is 25 mm wide. The pitch of the thus aligned perforations is 4.75 mm.
In the above-mentioned photographic film, one frame, which is the effective photographic area, is quadrilateral, for example, rectangular, in shape and is 24 mm in the widthwise direction of the film. The pitch of the frames is 38 mm, which is eight times the pitch of the perforations, which pitch is taken as a reference.
In order to improve the resultant image quality obtained from such photographic film the following proposals have been made: (1) The photo-sensitive material coated on the photographic film should be improved in an effort to improve resolution; and (2) The width of the photographic film should be increased to increase the frame size so that resulting prints would require less magnification and would appear sharper.
In general, the particle size of the photo-sensitive material in the coating determine the resolution and the sensitivity of the photographic film, and these two parameters are inversely related. Hence, without the discovery of a new photo-sensitive material, it is difficult to improve the image quality of the photographic film according to proposal (1) above. Also, such proposal would involve a large amount of time and expense in developing a new photographic film.
Although the image quality of the photo-sensitive materials now available can be improved according to proposal (2) above, this involves an increase in the width of the photographic film. Thus, the photographic camera must necessarily also be increased in size and weight, which goes contrary to the recent trend that seeks to reduce the size and weight of photographic cameras. Furthermore, all existing equipment for manufacturing photographic film and for developing photographic film would have to be modified in accordance with the increased width of the proposed new photographic film.
As described above, the image quality of photographic film, especially the resolution cannot be improved without changes and modifications to the photographic film itself. Thus, the photographic camera must be improved to achieve the above-mentioned objects.
Two other proposals have been made for that purpose. (1) A portion of the image that is picked-up can be trimmed by changing the magnification of the lens attached to the camera body; and (2) The effective photographic area can be increased recording magnification control data or the like for the printer capability in an area between the frames.
According to proposal (1), the photographic capability is improved by trimming a portion of an image with the result that although the image quality is improved, the necessary image has to be cut. Furthermore, this proposal requires an expensive lens, such as a telephoto lens.
Proposal (2) above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,735. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,735, close-up photography is achieved without requiring an expensive zoom lens by limiting the photographic area of the film. Upon printing this limited area the magnification is increased so that the apparent close-up is effected by utilizing a standard lens instead of the expensive zoom lens. U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,735 also discloses a technique in which a 17-bit code, namely, control information for the trimming, date information, and the like is recorded in the blank area between the successive frames of the photographic film.
One problem with U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,735, however, is that if the film used is slide film, the area between the frames is cut away or covered when a slide support frame is attached to the frame following development. Thus, there is the likelihood that the data at the interframe area will be lost or that the data at that area will be hidden by the slide support frame.
If the film used is a negative film, then the film has to be kept intact without being cut when it is developed and printed on the print sheet or when it is preserved. Thus, there is then a disadvantage that it is inconvenient to preserve the film.